A hero of france, by alan furst the latest installment in alan furst s night soldiers series opens on a grey spring day in occupied paris. Alan furst is widely recognised as the master of the historical spy novel. Jun 08, 2016 alan furst will sign and discuss a hero of france random house. Alan furst kingdom of shadows author interview identity. The series is called his night soldiers series, which includes thirteen novels about the european underground resistance against the nazis between the years 19321945, or t. This book by furst is notable for its plot which is extremely interesting as it moves through time and place. Once again, furst loads the entire burden of an aspect of the war on the shoulders of a single character, then scrutinizes that character as he. Dec 19, 2000 since that novels publication in 1988, furst has gone on to write dark star 1991, the polish officer 1995, the world at night 1996, red gold 1999 and his latest, kingdom of shadows. I love furst because he has seen many things with the same eye as i did he is only slightly younger than me. Jun 29, 2014 the american novelist alan furst, whose talent equals his ambition, set out in 1988 to portray the conflict between fascism and democratic forces across europe before and during world war ii. Most of his novels since 1988 have been set just prior to or during the second world war and he is noted for his successful.
From alan furst, the author of such spy novels as dark star, night soldiers, and the polish officer, comes the world at night. The hero of each tale is a somewhat battered but invariably sophisticated man in his late thirties, and he is always alive at the end however precariously. It follows film maker jean casson through as series of haphazard adventures including a trip to francos spain and smart comfort food for those who like spy novels grounded in far more realism than. Click on a cover image to find out more about that book. Apr 30, 2009 the world at night is the fourth volume in alan furst s loosely connected tales of espionage in world war ii, and it marks a bit of departure from the previous books. Once again, furst loads the entire burden of an aspect of the war on the shoulders of a single character, then scrutinizes that.
The evocative night soldiers series from alan furst. Alan furst born 1941 is an american author of historical spy novels set in europe prior to and during world war ii. Alan furst is an american author of historical spy fiction. Nov 26, 2019 download audiobooks by alan furst at and save. Each novel is a selfcontained story with its own central characters theres a scattering of overlap and recurring events which feel as if the author inserted them to reward his most faithful readers.
Alan furst, widely recognized as the master of the historical spy novel, is the author of a hero of france, midnight in europe, mission to paris, and many other bestsellers. Set in paris just following the fall of france to germany in 1940, the book tracks film producer jean casson, a hardcore denizen of paris nightlife. He is referring to ann godoff, senior editor, editorinchief and ceo at random house, who began publishing furst with the polish officer 1995, followed by the world at night 1996, red gold. Alan furst and his night soldiers books focus on the european. Paris and france are the subject of this novel, even more so than the men and women caught by the german advance of 1940. Paris and france are the subject of this novel, even more so than the men and. Alan furst and his night soldiers books focus on the european underground resistance against the nazis between the years of give or take 1932 and 1945, and they have been an absolute pleasure to read and reread since i discovered him around 2012. Alan furst is widely recognized as the current master of the historical spy novel.
Focusing on an ordinary citizen rather than intelligence operatives or soldiers, the story instead shows us a different kind of wartime experience one that will be more. The world at night covers the period from the day the germans invaded france. This is the fourth of alan fursts historical espionage novels. Critics praise fursts ability to recreate the atmosphere of world war iiera europe. Born in new york, he has lived for long periods in france, especially paris. The night soldiers series by alan furst, set in europe before and during world war ii, dramatizes the resistance. Below is a list of alan fursts night soldiers books in order of when they were first published which is also their chronological order.
George smiley is the alltime harassed bureaucrat of spy. Official website of alan furst, bestselling author of historical spy thrillers. The story centers on the main character, khristo stoianev. Praise for alan furst furst never stops astounding me. Now translated into eighteen languages, he is the author of night soldiers, dark star, the polish officer, the world at night, red gold, kingdom of shadows, blood of victory, dark voyage, the foreign correspondent, the spies of warsaw, spies of the balkans, mission to paris, and midnight in. Download audiobooks by alan furst stream or download. Jul 03, 2016 sorry, i dont know, because i did not read them all. Books in the night soldiers series i read long ago.
In the course of a piece he had done for esquire in 1983 on the danube, he began writing night soldiers. Alan furst the new york times breaking news, world. Night soldiers novels night soldiers 1988 dark star 1991 the polish officer 1995 the world at night 1996 red gold 1999 kingdom of shadows 2000. Novelist alan furst has, over his career as a journalist, written for a wide range of publications. Night soldiers, the polish officer, kingdom of shadows, the world at night, dark star, the spies of warsaw and many others. Now translated into eighteen languages, he is the author of night soldiers, dark star, the polish officer, the world at night, red gold, kingdom of shadows, blood of victory, dark voyage, the foreign correspondent, the spies of warsaw, spies of the balkans, mission to paris, and midnight in europe. The author of mission to paris and, most recently, midnight in europe.
The spies of warsaw by alan furst culture the guardian. The american novelist alan furst, whose talent equals his ambition, set out in 1988 to portray the conflict between fascism and democratic forces across europe before and during world war ii. His novels are usually set in eastern europe before and during world war ii. An anthology of the worlds best literary espionage, selected by a contemporary master of the genre, alan furst. Sorry, i dont know, because i did not read them all. He is one of my top three favorite writers of all time. The night soldiers series began with the title novel, published in 1988. Here are the brilliant books being given away in care homes, youth centres, colleges, prisons, public libraries, mental health groups and other settings on world book night 2020. By the book the author of mission to paris and, most recently, midnight in europe is a great fan of john le carres karla trilogy. Based on the peacemaking slogan of one people, one sky, twan aims to demonstrate that humanity is one.
The action revolves around a small group of italian antifascist emigres in paris who publish an. He considers his influences to be eric ambler, graham greene, joseph roth and arthur koestler. They form the night soldiers series and they are loosely interconnected but all are also standalone novels in their own right. But the coming of the war turned out to be, somehow, intimate, like christmas, and that was a surprise to both of them. Night soldiers by alan furst, dark star by alan furst, spies of the balkans by alan furst, blood of victory by alan furst, a. No espionage author, it seems, is better at summoning the shifting moods and emotional atmosphere of europe before the start of world war ii than alan furst.
He is the bestselling author of night soldiers, dark star, the polish officer, the world at night, red gold, kingdom of shadows, blood of victory, dark voyage, the foreign correspondent, mission to paris, midnight in europe, and a hero of france. Find all the books, read about the author, and more. An only child with older parents, he wandered alone or with friends around new york and learned to love the city and its people. The world at night twan is an international project to produce and present a collection of highquality photos, videos, and virtual reality vr images of the night sky taken at various natural, cultural, and historic locations worldwide. The anecdotal plot follows the resistance leader mathieu. Used items may not include supplementary materials such as cds or access. Describe the french point of view as it appears in the world at night. An anthology of the world s best literary espionage, selected by a contemporary master of the genre, alan furst.
The world at night is the fourth volume in alan fursts loosely connected tales of espionage in world war ii, and it marks a bit of departure from the previous books. Night soldiers is a scrupulously researched panoramic novel, a work on a grand scale. Question about alan fursts night soldiers books crime. The world at night is the fourth volume in alan furst s loosely connected tales of espionage in world war ii, and it marks a bit of departure from the previous books. Feb, 2016 alan furst s ww2 books are all standalones, you can read them in almost any order. Below is a list of alan fursts books in order of when they were originally published. He attended oberlin college, mistakenly majoring in english, too late discovering anthropology, the proper major for a writer. Alan furst will sign and discuss a hero of france random house. Night soldiers masterfully recreates the european world of 193445. This story feels more atmospheric and episodic than the world at night, but it. The civilized, upperclass life of film producer jean casson is derailed by the german occupation of paris, but casson learns that with enough money, compromise, and connections, one need not deny oneself the pleasures of parisian life. Now translated into eighteen languages, he is the author of night soldiers, dark star, the polish officer, the world at night, red gold, kingdom of shadows, blood of victory, dark voyage, the foreign correspondent, the. This is the first book in the series and it differs from the most recent books in both length and scope.
Since that novels publication in 1988, furst has gone on to write dark star 1991, the polish officer 1995, the world at night 1996, red gold 1999 and his latest. Every alan furst night soldiers novel james h duncan. The world at night is set during the period between the attack on france in 1940 and the end of 1941, just before the united states enters the war. Born in new york, he lived for many years in paris, and now lives on long. Alan furst has said that his books are written from the point of view of the nation where the story takes place. Alan furst has written fourteen books set in europe in the 1930s and 1940s. May 14, 1996 the world at night is set during the period between the attack on france in 1940 and the end of 1941, just before the united states enters the war. This is the first book in this series, and it is by far the most intricate, detailed, and well researched of the bunch. The world at night by alan furstreading alan fursts novels about europe circa 193742 is an experience like no other. The second book in the series, dark star, follows many similar points and themes, and is just as good, but night soldiers still reigns supreme as the best russian spy novel that takes place in the wwiiera, in my opinion. Jun 29, 2015 a few years ago i discovered the espionagenoir masterpiece that is alan fursts body of work, and ive been hooked ever since.
Alan furst has written seven dark novels set in europe at or on the eve of the start of the world war ii. Alan furst has discovered a rich vein of historical fiction in his series of books set in the years just before the outbreak of the second world war and during the. This was an office romance, something that had simmered and simmered, and then, one night. The difference, in fursts story, is the lack of romance casson, the hero, gets into bed with enough goodlooking women, but its not romantic in the sense of being a fairytale, of taking place in a world of heightened, and reductive, passions. The wall street journal furst is the best in the business. Now translated into eighteen languages, he is the author of fourteen novels including midnight in europe, spies of the balkans a tv book club choice the spies of warsaw, which became a bbc miniseries starring david tennant and the foreign correspondent. Here is an extraordinary collection of work from some of the finest novelists of the twentieth century. Furst has been called an heir to the tradition of eric ambler and graham greene, whom he cites along with joseph roth and arthur koestler as important influences. He has also written three novels prior to night soldiers that he cheerfully dismisses and a commissioned, nearly published biography of cookie.
Alan furst was born and raised on the upper west side of manhattan. The novels of alan furst are translated in 17 languages around the world. Focusing on an ordinary citizen rather than intelligence operatives or soldiers, the story instead shows us a different kind of wartime experience one that will be more familiar to most readers, and therefore, in some ways, more impactful. Alan furst is widely recognized as the master of the historical spy novel. A hero of france, by alan furst the latest installment in alan fursts night soldiers series opens on a grey spring day in occupied paris.
I think there are a couple of miniseries within the overall sequence where one book is a direct sequel to anotherfor instance, i believe that red gold is more or less a sequel to the world at night. The world at night by alan furst and a great selection of related books. The throes of masculine existential torment are an unquestionable specialty for furst the polish officer, 1995, whose ww ii fiction combines so much broad historical erudition with such genuine humanity that they ought to be made required reading. Alan furst became a published novelist in 1976 with the novel your day in the barrel. Night soldiers, by alan furst, is the fictional story of a group of soviet trained spies who attend espionage training in moscow, form a secret bond signified by bf 825, then follows their lives from preworld war ii to the months immediately after the wars end. The book is anchored in very simple, pedestrian realities. Night soldiers, by alan furst, is the fictional story of a group of soviet trained spies who attend espionage training in moscow, form a secret bond signified by bf 825, then follows their lives from pre world war ii to the months immediately after the wars end. Alan fursts new book, dark voyage, is from the familiar period and area 1941 europe but there is something of a departure this time around in that the primary setting is a ship, the dutch tramp steamer noordendam under the command of eric dehaan, ship and captain pressed into the service of the naval intelligence arm of the dutch. Now translated into eighteen languages, he is the author of night soldiers, dark star, the polish officer, the world at night, red gold, kingdom of shadows, blood of victory, dark voyage, the foreign correspondent, the spies of warsaw, spies of the. Jun 01, 2014 the author of mission to paris and, most recently, midnight in europe is a great fan of john le carres karla trilogy.
Max stockman, fursts grandfather was the one who urged. Apr 30, 2009 night soldiers masterfully recreates the european world of 193445. Bestselling espionage thrillers about europe starting in the 1930s and through world war ii. It describes the growth of a nation from a group of villages and regions. Casson attempts to convince these different resistance groups to trust one.